As Rwanda celebrates World Oral Health Day, different beneficiaries and partners of SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda have commended its interventions that have helped much in fighting oral diseases.

The burden of oral diseases is associated with other Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and some cancers.

It is driven by poor oral hygiene and common risk factors including tobacco use, alcohol consumption and unhealthy diets such as sugary foods among others

It is in this context that World Oral Health Day (WOHD) aims to celebrate the benefits of a healthy mouth and promote worldwide awareness of issues around oral diseases and show how it relates to the overall health of an individual.

Maurice Mutabazi is a teacher at Munini Primary school who was trained by SOS Children’s Villages Oral Health Project to promote oral healthcare among children.

The school has 2,259 school children who all benefited from the project.

"The project trained us on oral healthcare. We understood all types of oral diseases and how to prevent them. We also imparted the same knowledge to our students. They now brush their teeth twice a day and we also show them how it's properly done.

They were provided with all materials they needed like handwashing facilities, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soaps and cups, jerry cans and others,” he said.

SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda and UR-College of Medicine and Health Sciences are also partnering in carrying out community outreach activities to teach people about oral health care. / Craish Bahizi

He said that before the project came, some children would often suffer from oral diseases.

"Children would miss classes due to oral diseases but we are not facing such issues of school absenteeism today. The project also treated those who had oral diseases,” he said.

SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda oral health project raises awareness about oral health care in seven schools with over 7,000 school children in Gasabo, Nyamagabe and Gicumbi districts.

Community outreach 

SOS Children’s Villages Rwanda and UR-College of Medicine and Health Sciences are also partnering in carrying out community outreach activities to teach people about oral health care and treat those with oral diseases.

SOS Children’s Villages also supports providing consumables and other materials that students need in dental clinic practices and treating people with oral diseases.

Dr.SriKanth, the Head of dentistry school UR-College of Medicine and Health Sciences-Remera Campus said that their teachers and students have also been treating people who are financially constrained.

"We also educate the community about oral healthcare in campaigns we carry out in different villages. We also restore damaged teeth, among other services," he said.

Aline Uwihirwe, one of the patients who was treated at the college's dental clinic said she was satisfied with affordable, quicker and quality treatment.

"My tooth had a problem. I only paid Rwf1, 500 and it is going to be uprooted. Many people do not consult dentists and I urge them to come for consultation and get advice about oral health,” she said.

Jeanne Kagwiza, the acting principal of UR-College of Medicine and Health Sciences said that as the world marks World Oral Health Day, people should go for dental check-up.

"What is alarming is that a recent study we conducted found 70 per cent of the sampled population do not seek oral healthcare. More than 60 per cent have dental caries yet they are preventable and treatable.

We are now telling the population that we have very good and affordable oral healthcare services at our dental clinic," she said.

Shortage of experts

She said the university has so far produced over 500 dental therapists and 33 dental surgeons.

"Dental surgeons are still few but in the years coming, the number will increase,” she noted.

Alphonse Karangwa the vice president of Rwanda Dental Association said that thanks to awareness more people are seeking dental services.

"We have been playing our role in educating people on oral healthcare. However dentists are still few despite the services being decentralized," he said.

He said considering the lack of awareness on oral health especially in rural communities, the association aims to carry out outreach activities to teach them starting with schools.

"We urge members of our association to support this campaign and also ask government to increase standards for dental therapists to boost their competitiveness,” he said.

Adelaide Muhigana, the president of Rwanda Dental Surgeons Association said that they are working with the Ministry of Health to use different communication channels in carrying out campaigns that educate the public on oral health care.

"We used to carry out outreach activities to the community but the covid-19 has prevented gatherings. That is why we have to work with media. Community health workers can also be trained on how to integrate such awareness in their activities and raise awareness during community works (Umugamda) held every month,” she said.

She said that while dental services should be decentralized at health centres, the ministry should also deploy infrastructure to motivate dentists.

"Insurance is also needed for oral health diseases at health centres,” she said.

Corneille Ntihabose, the Head of Department of Clinical and Public Health Services in the Ministry of Health said that in order to reduce oral health diseases, more efforts are underway to build the capacity health workforce both dental therapists and dental surgeons.

"We will also continue to increase infrastructure, medical supplies and technology needed by the health workforce,” he said.

He added oral health diseases are also linked to non-communicable diseases.

"Poor oral hygiene can also cause cardiac complications especially for children under ten. There is also a link between diabetes and oral diseases. We urge the population to embrace oral hygiene measures and consult a dentist at least once a year,” he said.

Oral hygiene habits include brushing teeth at least twice a day, he said.

The Global Burden of Disease Study done in 2016 estimated that oral diseases affected half of the world’s population (3.58 billion people) with dental caries (tooth decay) in permanent teeth being the most prevalent condition assessed.

Severe periodontal (gum) disease, which may result in tooth loss, was estimated to be the 11th most prevalent disease globally.

In Rwanda, the first oral health survey published in 2018 revealed that nearly two-thirds (64.9%) of the 2097 participants had caries experience and 54.3% had untreated caries.

Among adults 20 years of age and older, 32.4% had substantial oral debris and 60.0% had calculus.